Outriggers for use in fishing have been well received on sport fishing and open fishing vessels. Deployed outriggers allow a vessel to position bait over a wide area behind the vessel as the fishing vessel is driven slowly, commonly referred to as trolling. Trolling with outriggers permit a fishing vessel to cover a large area of water so as to increase the opportunity for catching fish. The quantity and spacing of bait placed behind the vessel is generally proportional to the size of the vessel, the use of large outriggers maximize the benefit. Outriggers must be properly secured when traversing rolling seas to prevent accidental deployment. Larger outriggers necessitate the need for stronger locking and safer release systems.
If the bait is properly placed, the wake of the vessel can be made to appear like a school of fish. Bait that can be made to appear to be struggling or separated from the school is most attractive to predator fish.
Positioning of bait behind a vessel would be limited but for the use of outriggers. Most fishing boats have a beam of less than fifteen feet wherein trolling with more than couple of fishing lines provides very little distance between the baited hooks and limits the ability to place bait outside of the boat wake. In addition, more than two lines behind a vessel severely limits the vessels ability to maneuver as even a gradual turn may cause bait lines to cross and become entangled. Likewise, closely positioned baits may become entangled as the fish is reeled into the vessel.
Thus, the use of outriggers provides a means for effectively increasing the spacing of the bait, as well as adding additional bait lines without increasing the possibility entangling these lines while landing a fish. An outrigger is basically a long pole having a proximal end attached to the vessel and a distal end that can be moved from a stowage position adjacent the vessel to a deployed position away from the vessel to a trolling position. A positioning line is drawn along the length of the outrigger pole wherein release clips secured to the positioning line are used to secure the fishing pole line to a desired location. When a fish strikes the bait, the release clip disengages the fishing line from the positioning line, and the fisherman is free to reel in the fish without interference. The proper placement of the outrigger pole and fishing line increase the chances of fish being drawn to the bait.
For example, by use of two fifteen foot outriggers, a vessel with a ten foot beam may extend the distances between bait, effectively covering a thirty foot spread behind the vessel. However, having outrigger poles extend from each side of a vessel during non-fishing time has obvious drawbacks. Typically outriggers are deployed only when fishing or trolling at relatively slow speeds such as five knots or less. For this reason, outriggers must be stowable to allow for normal cruising and docking such that the vessel will not interfere with marine navigation. The outriggers are typically stowed within the vertical plane of the vessel, which is defined by the side walls of the vessel. While stowed, the outriggers will not obstruct or interfere with other vessels or any other fixed objects in the path of the vessel. In operation, the outrigger is swung laterally outward to a deployed position for fishing purposes. In addition, when a vessel is placed in an ocean environment it is not uncommon for the vessel to be subjected to large seas wherein the outrigger and its mounting structure is subjected to large twisting forces.
For the aforementioned reasons it is therefore desirable to provide the vessel with a device capable of quickly securing and deploying the outriggers. The device will enable the vessel's captain or crew to quickly and easily release the outriggers from a stowed position to a deployed position wherein the outriggers are positioned away from the vessel. Likewise, it is also desirable to provide the vessel with a device that can also quickly, safely and easily stow and secure the outriggers on board the vessel when they are not in use.